David Hugh McCulloch (April 23, 1890 – September 20, 1955) was an early American aviator who worked with Glenn Curtiss from 1912. Curtiss was a contemporary and competitor to the Wright brothers, Wilbur and Orville, who had made the first flights at Kitty Hawk in 1903. Curtiss won the world's first air race at Reims in France in August 1909, and was now becoming the driving force in American aviation. McCulloch's early work with Curtiss consisted of demonstrating, training and selling Curtiss planes and participating in early developments of flight. He trained the First Yale Unit (using Curtiss flying boats), and in two consecutive days in 1917, he and several of his pupils from the First Yale Unit made flights that convinced the Navy to bring aircraft aboard ships. Later, McCulloch was co-pilot with Holden C. Richardson and flight commander John Henry Towers of the NC-3, the leader of the three Navy flying boats making the first flight across the Atlantic Ocean.
Birth and early career
McCulloch was born in 1890 in Port Royal, Pennsylvania, to William Turbett McCulloch and Lucretia Jane McManigal, both of whose families were early residents of Pennsylvania. The McCullochs were mill owners and horse breeders. They also bred springer spaniels and pointers for hunting. From an early age David and his brothers fished for trout, walleye, northern pike, and other fish in the lakes and rivers and hunted deer, turkeys, geese, ducks, pheasants, quail, and bears.
Marriage and family
McCulloch married Helen Wheeler Fair, daughter of Robert Maitland Fair and Emma Dean, on April 20, 1920. They had three daughters: Virginia Fair, Elizabeth Maitland, and Helen Lucretia. Their only son, David, died as a baby. Helen's father, Robert Maitland Fair, had been managing partner of Marshall Field's, then the biggest retail business in the world. He funded his niece Neltje Blanchan De Graff (pen name Neltje Blanchan) and her husband Frank Nelson Doubleday to set up their publishing business, which became the biggest publisher in the United States. McCulloch's wife Helen had started coming to Palm Beach in the early 1900s, making deep-sea fishing trips with Lawrence Waterbury II and Payne Whitney. McCulloch and his wife built a house in Palm Beach where he was a founding member of the Bath and Tennis Club.
Early interest in aviation
In 1912 at the age of 22, McCulloch learned to fly at the Curtiss Flying School in Hammondsport, New York. He then purchased his own plane for sport and business. A sportsman and bon vivant, McCulloch made friends with and enthused people who later became leaders in the industry. Among these friends were Harry Frank Guggenheim, Edward Francis Hutton, Nelson Slater, Vincent Astor (from whom he bought Shore Cottage in Sands Point), and Rodman Wanamaker. In 1915 he worked with the Aero Club of America (of which he was a member and received Hydroaeroplane Pilots's Certificate No. 16) and the Aero Club of Pennsylvania to aid in establishing planes for the defense of the area by purchasing and donating two aerohydroplanes (valued at $15,000 in 1915 dollars) to help form Pennsylvania's aerial fleet of five planes.
Work with Glenn Curtiss
After McCulloch received instruction at the Curtiss Flying School at Hammondsport, New York. He became a close friend and employee of Curtiss. While with Curtiss from 1912 to 1914 he demonstrated, taught, and sold Curtiss flying boats to the governments of South American countries. He worked with the Brazilian Government and flew Brazilian president Hermes da Fonseca over Guanabara Bay (1st flight of a Brazilian president over the skies of Brazil). Starting in 1914 he managed the Curtiss Flying School. In 1915 he was sent to be the instructor at the Italian Naval Aeronautics School in Taranto. McCulloch continued his affiliation with Curtiss using Curtiss Model F flying boats for instruction and eventually co-piloting one of the Curtiss NC flying boats for the Navy on the first transatlantic crossing voyage.
American Trans-Oceanic Company
In 1916 McCulloch became the manager and chief pilot of the newly formed Rodman Wanamaker American Trans-Oceanic Company based in Port Washington, New York. It was formed with a vision of becoming the first commercial airline to offer non-stop trans-Atlantic flights. It became one of the earliest commercial airlines in the US. While at American Trans-Oceanic Company, McCulloch became the instructor for the First Yale Unit.